Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Gravel Grindin's Gettin' Better Than Ever...

2010 is going to be a banner year for cyclists looking to do a little gravel grindin' with their buddies. For riders in the Midwest, these events represent one of the best ways to truly get "out there" and experience a true adventure, as dirt roads reach some of the most remote, beautiful places in states like Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota and Missouri. Heck, even in mountainous states like Colorado and Wyoming, it'd be easy to put together awesome gravel grinders of 200+ miles, but I digress.

Long-time staple events like TransIowa and the Dirty Kanza 200 have already filled their 2010 fields. The DK200 field recently filled its expanded 160 rider field limit in just 12-hours! Amazing!!

The Pirate Cycling League (PCL) is also going to be hosting two more low-key gravel grinders in March and April, both of which will take off from Lincoln. Details will be up soon on the PCL Website for the PCL "Lincoln-?-Lincoln", and the PCL "Tour of Dirt Roads III". Keep an eye on the Website for more.

14 comments:

yep. i'm not tired of riding the gravel and dirt roads. you'd think it would get boring, and yes, i'm easily ammused, but still, i love them gravel roads. and i look at the events like TI and the Kanza as an excuse to enjoy a whole s**t-ton of gravel.

We've been lucky by missing the big snow & I've been out on the gravel all but 3 days for the year thus far. There may be another gravel event put together by me out here for fun, bikes on gravel followed by beer, bbq & perhaps a little bourbon, any takers to that? I've got room in my backyard for some camping, got a firepit & we could follow it up with a Potter's ride the next day for those traveling back home to the east.

It's funny you mention that gravel idea, Mr. Bergen... Guitar Ted and I were actually just discussing the possibility of a gravel century, or something along that order, out there. Perhaps have it start and finish at Potter's Pasture, and do it in conjunction with a mountain bike festival that's going on at the Pasture??? We were thinking the idea had some good potential to draw a nice crowd and be a good "reputation builder" for both Potters Pasture, and the overall south central region of the state, from a cycling standpoint.

That said, we'd once again have to look to you guys to help pull off... It's not something we could do alone. And honestly, right now my wife is starting to balk at all of the events I've already got on the calendar, so I'm a bit suspicious at my chances of getting another big event added into the mix. But we'll see. If we can make a case for it, I bet I can push it through.

Because in the end, I'm like MW... I like to ride bikes, gravel, singletrack... whatever. It's all good.

There's some really sweet gravel, canyon roads to the west of Potter's, havn't explored them all yet but there's plenty of opportunities for the Vitamin G out here.

Some of the best is along the NPPD canal between Lake McConaughy & Paxton, very good scenery & I happen to know a few side roads around here to throw in the mix. I'm pretty sure I'd be up for scouting lots of gravel out most anytime of the year.

So you were gonna' be a Matt, 'eh G-Ted? Funny... Then they named you Mark instead. Very Biblical! I guess you win though, as you're further along in the Good Book than we are, if you want to look at it that way... ;-)

Red Bull Cola... Mmmmm. I like Red Bull Cola. Yeah, we gotta' get them on-board for the Gravel Worlds/GLGA. Better get on the horn now...

And Bergen, I knew you'd have an idea of where we'd want/need to go if I mentioned the idea of a Potter's Gravel Grinder to you... That's the "local touch" we need to make it all that it can be. I'm excited at the potential already, and also excited to come out and do some scoutin' with you! We need to figure out when that can happen...

The roads from hwy 47 south of gburg to Potters and a ways west contain more than enough miles !! I have ridden a ton of those canyons in rides from home to Potters before.It is possible to get 60 or more just getting to Potters from home!! Kyle and I had discussed this a few times and according to my exploration I can layout 200 or more if needed for you hardcore gravel junkies. Just thought I would pipe up since I know the area from wandering the hills looking for cool rides.Hope to see you guys soon !!! CQ

Yep, CQ, I was hoping you'd be more familiar with the Potter's area gravel than myself as all I've ever really explored around there is Snell Canyon Rd to the west back to Ft McPherson cemetery, there's got to be some cool gravel down south of there though I'm betting.

If we want to link something up from Potter's going west I can cover it from NP west but if folks want to base something out of Potter's then I'm thinking a big ass loop would be best.

Once again, my wife & son are kicking my ass on miles in 2010, but I'm trying to catch up, ALL on gravel & ALL with one speed!

That's what I'm talkin' about! You guys know what's up... Heck, you don't even need me to put something on. You should just do it. Not that I don't want to be involved, but I just don't want to be the one holding you back... Because I know it's gonna' be hard getting something like that past my wife at this point, with all the stuff we've got on the calendar already... Not to mention the amount of vacation I'm gonna' be burning! Holy cow... I guess that's why I'm at work right now.

Dang guys! I agree with MG here. The whole she-bang wouldn't be all that hard for you guys to organize. Get yerself a map, make it available online with the route, tell everyone the date, and have a Hoo-Ha at Potters with a big assed loop and all of gravelly goodness. In fact, call it the Hoo-Ha Hundy at Potter's if ya want.

Without a doubt there are plenty of miles of great gravel East and West of Potters. I don't know if making Potters. For me gravel is something to do when Potters is unrideable, but I'm game for anything.

There aren't a lot of opportunities for refueling on any route in the area since it's so remote. Which could add a twist. I'd say keep it at 100 miles so there's still time to hit the trails the next day if anyone chooses.

Chad and I will kick some ideas around while we ride the extra wide singletrack today . . .

OK, that last post made no sense . . . fell asleep in the middle of it. Basically, what I was saying is that it's so hard to ride gravel when the pasture is available, but the options are amazing for good gravel around Potters. I haven't ridden it, but I did give a drunk hillbilly a ride home on some crazy b-roads just south-east of the pasture. We could probably string together a ride that would go through Potters on singletrack, hit a bunch of gravel and b-roads, cut through another pasture or two and then finish on gravel back at the Festival Camp.

Yeah... Now you're talkin! That'd be sweet. Take advantage of the unique conditions you have there. Just try to work in a checkpoint every 50 miles or so, and it'd be all set. I like what you guys are thinkin' of though.